WHO BETTER TO FACE THE GREATEST EVIL OF THE 20TH CENTURY THAN A HUMBLE MAN OF FAITH? As Adolf Hitler and the Nazis seduced a nation, bullied a continent, and attempted to exterminate the Jews of Europe, a small number of dissidents and saboteurs worked to dismantle the Third Reich from the inside. One of these was Dietrich Bonhoeffer–a pastor and author. In this New York Times best-selling … best-selling biography, Eric Metaxas takes both strands of Bonhoeffer’s life–the theologian and the spy–and draws them together to tell a searing story of incredible moral courage in the face of monstrous evil. Metaxas presents the fullest accounting of Bonhoeffer’s heart-wrenching decision to leave the safe haven of America to return to Hitler’s Germany, and sheds new light on Bonhoeffer’s involvement in the famous Valkyrie plot and in “Operation 7,” the effort to smuggle Jews into neutral Switzerland. In a deeply moving narrative, Metaxas uses previously unavailable documents’including personal letters, detailed journal entries, and firsthand personal accounts’to reveal dimensions of Bonhoeffer’s life and theology never before seen.
“Bonhoeffer is the story of a life framed by a passion for truth and a commitment to justice on behalf of those who face implacable evil. Includes Readers’ Guide “[A] beautifully constructed biography.”
–Alan Wolfe, The New Republic
“Metaxas tells Bonhoeffer’s story with passion and theological sophistication. . . .”
–Wall Street Journal
“[A] weighty, riveting analysis of the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. . . .”
–Publishers Weekly
“Metaxas presents Bonhoeffer as a clear-headed, deeply convicted Christian who submitted to no one and nothing except God and his Word.”
–Christianity Today
“Metaxas has written a book that adds a new dimension to World War II, a new understanding of how evil can seize the soul of a nation and a man of faith can confront it. . . .”
–Thomas Fleming, author, The New Dealers’ War
“Metaxas has created a biography of uncommon power–intelligent, moving, well researched,vividly written, and rich in implication for our own lives. Or to put it another way: Buy this book. Read it. Then buy another copy and give it to a person you love. It’s that good.”
–Archbishop Charles Chaput, First Things
“A definitive Bonhoeffer biography for the 21st century.”
–Kirkus Reviews
- 2011 ECPA Book of the Year
- 2011 Canterbury Medal by the Becket Fund recognizing courage in the defense of religious liberty
- 2011 Christopher Award winner highlighting the power of faith, courage, and action
“A definitive Bonhoeffer biography for the 21st century.”
-Kirkus Reviews
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This is a well-written biography of a famous man. I’ve wanted to read the book for several years now, and I was thankful when I finally got the chance. It is very long—longer than I thought it was!—but overall, I found it to not be too hard to get through. Metaxas knows how to write an interesting story.
In saying that, though, I don’t agree with Bonhoeffer’s conclusions and the way he went about doing things, and I also didn’t appreciate the condoning/explaining away attitude I came across at times. I firmly believe that God had a plan even for Hitler’s life, and though he did unspeakable horrors, he wouldn’t have died any earlier than God had planned. Bonhoeffer did his part in trying to assassinate Hitler, and it seemed like just about anything was fine in his eyes (including blatant lying) to reach that goal…that isn’t Christ’s way, in my opinion.
As far as a biography goes, I feel like I learned a lot from this book. I don’t know if all the history in here is correct, but most of the parts I am familiar with lined up with other things I’ve read. Some have cast doubt on the truthfulness of the history in here; I just don’t know. If you want to get a good overview of Bonhoeffer, his family, and the times he lived in, this could be a good choice for you. Just be warned that there are atrocities spoken of here, and sin is shown as it was—so this isn’t a book for children.
Though the first quarter is fairly dry, the rest of the book makes up for it. A true, terrifying and sad story about one man’s fight against the hate, evil and soul-less Nazi empire is something worth reading. Ignoring what happened in Nazi Germany, and how it all evolved leaves us in danger of repeating that horrible history.
It was very moving. I usually read a book or two each week, but at the end of this I couldn’t go on to another book for probably a month. I kept going back to sections of this and the many quotes I had underlined and written the page numbers on the inside cover. An amazing story of faith in action.
I was overwhelmed by the historical detail, much of which amounted to trivia. I’m glad so many people enjoyed the book, but I couldn’t finish it.
Accessible, thorough, gut-wrenching, ultimately uplifting and redemptive. Metaxas did a superb job telling Bonhoeffer’s tale. Highly recommend this for anyone interested in World War 2, church history, Germany, Christianity, or biographies of amazing people.
I read this after reading My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love by Amanda Barratt. I think that after you read Barratt’s novel, you will want to know more about Dietrich, too.
The true story of a German pastor/theologist who was involved in several plots to assassinate Adolf Hitler. It was as good as it sounds like it would be.
His life and influences are well captured!
This was a great book chronicling the rise of Nazism in Germany and the rise of the resistance movement. Bonhoeffer was raised in a family that debated at the dinner table and he was taught to think for himself and be able to back up his arguments. He was able to question authority and contribute to the resistance movement as well as start a church movement where the emphasis was on following Christ rather than Hitler.
Eric Metaxas did a great job of bringing Bonhoeffer to life. What an inspirational man he was. He faced death bravely and inspired and comforted those around him Metaxas presented an understandable perspective on Hilter’s rise to power and forces that enabled it to happen.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a hero by any standard. Eric Metaxas portrays the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ in the face of overwhelming adversity.